Device for holding a wafer-shaped article

Abstract

A device for holding a wafer-shaped article, the device having a device body comprising: a surface configured to face a wafer-shaped article supported by the device, the surface having a central recessed portion; first gas nozzles having outlets in the surface outside the central recessed portion; and second gas nozzles having outlets in the surface inside the central recessed portion.

1 . A device for holding a wafer-shaped article, the device having a device body comprising:
 a surface configured to face a wafer-shaped article supported by the device, the surface having a central recessed portion;   first gas nozzles having outlets in the surface outside the central recessed portion; and   second gas nozzles having outlets in the surface inside the central recessed portion.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the second gas nozzles is perpendicular to the surface, or substantially perpendicular to the surface. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first gas nozzles is angled outwards relative to the perpendicular to the surface. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a transparent window in the recessed portion, and the second gas nozzles include one or more gas nozzles in the transparent window. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device includes a gas distribution chamber in the device body, the gas distribution chamber being connected to the first gas nozzles and the second gas nozzles. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , where a number of the first gas nozzles is greater than a number of the second gas nozzles. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion has a depth of 0.3 mm or more to 2 mm or less. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is circular and has a diameter of 210 mm or more to 250 mm or less. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the outlets of the first gas nozzles are arranged in a circular pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the outlets of the second gas nozzles are arranged in a circular pattern. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a plurality of gripping pin assemblies adapted and positioned relative to the device body for gripping the wafer-shaped article, wherein each of the gripping pin assemblies is rotatable between a gripping configuration in which the gripping pin assemblies grip the wafer-shaped article, and a non-gripping configuration in which the gripping pin assemblies do not grip the wafer-shaped article. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the gripping pin assemblies extend through the surface outside the recessed portion, and the outlets of the first gas nozzles are located on the surface between the gripping pin assemblies and the recessed portion. 
     
     
         13 . A device for holding a wafer-shaped article, the device comprising gripping elements adapted to contact a peripheral edge of the wafer-shaped article, the gripping elements being biased towards a closed position by one or more resilient members, wherein a position at which each of the one or more resilient members is connected to a device body is adjustable. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the one or more resilient members is connected to the device body via a removable adaptor. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 14 , where the removable adaptor is connected to the device body at a first position relative to the device body and is connected to the resilient member at a second position relative to the device body. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 each of the gripping elements is rotatable between a gripping configuration in which the gripping elements grip the wafer-shaped article, and a non-gripping configuration in which the gripping elements do not grip the wafer-shaped article;   the device comprises a first gear that is coupled to the gripping elements to drive rotation of the gripping elements; and   each of the one or more resilient members is connected to the first gear.   
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the gripping elements comprises a second gear that is meshed with the first gear. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein the device comprises at least one damping mechanism that controls a force with which the clamping elements impact the peripheral edge of the wafer-shaped article when moving to the closed position. 
     
     
         19 . A processing apparatus for processing a wafer-shaped article, the processing apparatus comprising the device according to  claim 1 .